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Portsmouth 5 Middlesbrough 1: Four-goal Yakubu snatches centre stage

THE supporter with a three-inch wide anchor tattooed on his forearm and a personalised Portsmouth team shirt signifying his identity as ’Arry’s Army was supremely prophetic. “This bleedin’club,” he shouted at anyone who wanted to listen. “They always manage to do something that jumps up when you are least expecting it.”

How very true. First Portsmouth complete one of the great Premiership escape acts to win six games out of their last ten, draw another three and collect 14 home points from a possible eight. Not only was relegation avoided but the club is now £4.36m richer for finishing so high up the table.

Then after days of potentially damaging infighting and insults worthy of Westminster, the team produce the sort of performance that suggests a good row every week might even end with a place in Europe. Both chairman Milan Mandaric and manager Harry Redknapp could not help but